2019 Roland Garros Semifinals: Nadal vs. Federer

[Denis]

Been down this road before. I liked him long before 2011. Also Novak has realistically taken away as many majors from Roger as he has from Nadal.

Yeah Novak has been worse for Fed than for Nadal. Nadal only lost 6 times to Djokovic at slams, Fed 9 times.

 

[DarthFed]

You're bored with repeating yourself? Since when? You're the guy that brought up the 2008 W. again on this thread. If you liked Novak before 2011, you kept it to yourself. And as I said, you don't mind as much when you can excuse "geriatric Fed" his losses.

Just because you lack memory of it doesn't mean I wasn't saying it. I liked Nole's brashness at a young age as well as his game.

And I brought that up and Cincy 2013 as a comparison to Basel 2015 which you were so dismissive of because of the state of Nadal's game.

 

[Shivashish Sarkar]

Federer was not there today. No aggression. No risk-taking. Minimal. That is never going to work against Rafa, even on other surfaces. Maybe, the gap of almost 2 years since the last Fedal made Roger forget how to play him. I understand Rafa was the expected winner but I expected to see a good match. But I am somehow not a bit disappointed about the result. I understand this does not prove anything new. Rafa was always much better than Federer on clay. And there was nothing new to be disappointed about as a Federer fan. Clay was never his forte.

I am sure he will bounce back on a different surface.

 

[Bonaca]

Gutless showing. Someone remind me again why this fucktard wasted energy playing this surface just to make his H2H even more pathetic?

It’s not everything in the numbers.

 

[Moxie]

Just because you lack memory of it doesn't mean I wasn't saying it. I liked Nole's brashness at a young age as well as his game.

And I brought that up and Cincy 2013 as a comparison to Basel 2015 which you were so dismissive of because of the state of Nadal's game.

Those are poor comparisons, though...because the guy who was less-favored by surface won. I was talking about how close Rafa got in a match he lost, but in a year that he was poor, and under the worst possible of circumstances for him. Not the same at all.

 

[tented]

Final stats:

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Hats off to Ralph. He once again proved that in the kingdom of clay, there is no democracy and only dictatorship.

I actually think Fed played reasonably well today, although he had nothing to show for it.

 

[tented]

And there was nothing new to be disappointed about as a Federer fan. Clay was never his forte.

I disagree. As Roger himself said years ago, “I don’t have a clay problem. I have a Rafa problem.”

 

[DarthFed]

Those are poor comparisons, though...because the guy who was less-favored by surface won. I was talking about how close Rafa got in a match he lost, but in a year that he was poor, and under the worst possible of circumstances for him. Not the same at all.

Only difference is the surface, bottom line is the loser in all those matches was in the middle of terrible seasons, making life easy on the winner.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Now that Fed has lost, I root for Thiem to win this RG.

If Thiem loses today, then I root for Ralph to complete the dozen and not Nole to complete Nole2.

 

[DarthFed]

I disagree. As Roger himself said years ago, “I don’t have a clay problem. I have a Rafa problem.”

It is by far his weakest surface. He still has a win at this tournament which means he has a good resume on clay. But only 5 finals and 8 semifinals. Way less than his other majors, even with how bad he's done at US

 

[tented]

It is by far his weakest surface. He still has a win at this tournament which means he has a good resume on clay. But only 5 finals and 8 semifinals. Way less than his other majors, even with how bad he's done at US

And how many other players can claim such results at RG?

 

[britbox]

I hope Thiem wins it but can't see him beating Nadal. Djokovic might.

I disagree. As Roger himself said years ago, “I don’t have a clay problem. I have a Rafa problem.”

Yep. With Rafa out of the picture, Federer would have won a bunch of French Opens and Clay Masters.

 

[Shivashish Sarkar]

I disagree. As Roger himself said years ago, “I don’t have a clay problem. I have a Rafa problem.”

I was actually trying to say this is his weakest surface. Didn't articulate properly. Due to different reasons, he is weak on clay against Novak and Rafa. Why do you think he lost to Novak in 3 sets in 2012 FO before defeating him at Wimbledon? And the Rafa Nadal problem although true is managable on other surfaces. He leads the H2H on other surfaces.

 

[DarthFed]

And how many other players can claim such results at RG?

Anyone who won 2 did better. So the answer is many.

 

[atttomole]

Now that Fed has lost, I root for Thiem to win this RG.

If Thiem loses today, then I root for Ralph to complete the dozen and not Nole to complete Nole2.

Why would you prefer Rafa winning his 12th to Djokovic’s double career slam?

 

[tented]

Anyone who won 2 did better. So the answer is many.

Clearly I meant since 2005.

 

[shawnbm]

Whose record on clay in the Open Era is better than Roger’s other than Nadal, Borg and Kuerten? Novak is right there with Roger, perhaps a smidge ahead. Muster or Vilas? I beg to differ. Connors? No. Lendl? Overall I would say no. Wilander? Maybe so.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Why would you prefer Rafa winning his 12th to Djokovic’s double career slam?

Novak has greater chances of catching up Fed than Ralph, even though Ralph is closer. Plus, one Nole slam is already a big plus and I don't want another one to happen.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Why would you prefer Rafa winning his 12th to Djokovic’s double career slam?

Also, nobody cares whether Rafa has 2045678 Rgs or 2045679 Rgs. His legacy does not improve much. But, Noles legacy improves heavily if he wins this one.